The first ever Pan-African Collegiate Platform

3 Countries

U.S. - Ghana - Brazil

OUR MISSION

True Culture University is a Pan - African collegiate Platform. In the advent of the 21st century the internet provides a unique opportunity for the highest level of accessible communication between continental Africans and Diaspora Africans that has never been seen before in history. By publishing student written articles on issues pertaining to Africans both globally and locally, True Culture U. will foster communication as well as an understanding of various viewpoints. Being African is split into a multitude of sub groups, however, we at True Culture University believe through communication - understanding can be achieved that allows an emphasis on our similarities rather than our differences. Most importantly, True Culture U. is committed to establishing and fostering connections between all African descended people - whether you are in America, the Caribbean, South America, or the Continent itself- cultivating a new collective mindset for the 21st and 22nd century.

I graduated with determination and resilience, two critical characteristics that surfaced out of my experience in our current society and my Africana study courses. As I looked at the workforce for guidance I knew that my focus would be working with a community that represents me. In reality that was not the case. I was seeking jobs in environments that disconnected me from my experiences at home and my community. Although the pay was greatly livable, it was not nourishing my spirit.

A nation of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy, can’t you see this nation was not intended for you or for me Me, a black woman in America. I am fearful Fearful for the very lives I am attached to; and for the lives I can create.

In the rising rift between Trap and conscious rap, the black community is seemingly right in middle of it and made to choose a side, while the whites watch. Inevitably, both styles are going to reflect on the black community even if the rappers themselves are not black. However, I don’t believe this means we have to trade authenticity in for respectability. In a world where the music industry is owned mostly by white moguls that could care less about black bodies, and where division and beef among Blacks is highly profitable…

We, Ethiopians, stereotypically perceive ourselves as a different sect altogether. It is true that we are a longstanding sovereign country, who do not hail colonization in our history, and our great-grand and grandparents have given their lives to make it remain so. But that does not give us an exemption from our Blackness.

It is possible to build an Africa that resembles Wakanda and those of us in the diaspora who felt a great deal of pride after watching the Black Panther movie do have a very important role to play in making this a reality. In order to do so we not only have to become more engaged with Africa, but we also have to directly assist in the struggle to liberate Africa from neo-colonialism. Killmonger may be the antagonist of the film, but his vision for the collective liberation of all African people is a vision that we should be striving to turn into a reality.

If we were to get rid of rap and hip-hop music, would the greater black community be better off, and placed on equal footing with our Caucasian counterparts, who, as a group, head the socioeconomic totem pole? Obviously not. Thus, largely invalidating Rivera’s thesis. However, would eliminating violent lyrics from the music consumed by so many black youth, some of whom are at a high risk of joining gangs due to their location and socioeconomic status, benefit the black community? Perhaps. However, only perhaps.

The war against Black people is global and as Dr. King once said, “None of us are free until all of us are free.” Let’s make sure our sister Marielle Franco’s life and death isn’t in vain. Let’s make sure the voice and the strength of our diaspora is felt beyond Black Panther’s box office numbers. Share her story. Demand justice. End the war on black people everywhere. Say Her Name!

At some point in my life, I experienced a…shift. There was an undercurrent. Perhaps that’s the best way to describe it. There was a shift in my behavior and ideology that was so slight, so gradual that it was able to fly under my radar. I found myself feeling a lot more self-conscious in certain situations. I felt more insecure around certain groups of people. It felt like a loss of control.

To combat this hegemonic colonial narrative, Black women must see their intersectional identity as the epitome of humanness. We must detangle ourselves from negative narratives and images, in order to reclaim our humanity and learn how to resist. I am pushing for Black women to have a continuous reimaging of oneself to unlearn heteronormative ideologies.

Mar 7, 2018

Connecting College Campuses Throughout Africa and the Diaspora. One Campus at a time.

"We are all kinsman, all members of an extended family. Members of a unit; a collective. Though we all hail from various tribes and backgrounds- being African is our unifier. With varying circumstances we have created cultures out of tradition, necessity, and influence. Through communication We can CREATE a collective culture in addition to our inherent. This collective culture has the potential to take the best of our cultures to determine a “True Culture"- a global black culture based on understanding of one another. A culture that allows us to unify despite our differences, while at the same time showcasing them. A culture that I imagine will encourage Love and Respect for both Continental and Diaspora Africans. So the time is now, let us determine what this new True Culture will be."

— Miles Henderson, True Culture U. Founder

WRITERS FEATURED FROM THE FOLLOWING UNIVERSITIES:

Campus Connections:

Localized campus HUB for each University

United States

I have learned if we no longer make giving our life to a God in the sky our objective, we can see the real song. When we learn that everything is God, ourselves included, we will treat everything and everyone as equals; we are all on the same page. In order to do that we must have trust. Though we cannot trust each other if we are taught to only have complete trust and faith in a sky God alone. With this being true, how can I ever really learn to trust and have faith in others?

The issue of police brutality has been broadcasted time and time again. We as a nation have been split along economic, professional, and congressional lines over the matter; and of course, racial lines. Ah yes, race, always the elephant in the room.Just this past homecoming, a black student was subject to over aggression by local Indiana law enforcement.

It is one thing to not agree with a person’s actions of kneeling or standing or protesting whatever it is they see fit, but it is another to condemn one for protesting peacefully in what they believe in. Threatening people’s right to protest, whether right or wrong, threatens the institution of democracy itself because the principles it champions allows for differing political views and social stances.

Now is definitely the right time for our black community to begin waking up, and stop using the Christianity that has been arranged to be oppressive to many groups but dominant within the white race. However; to say that you cannot be "woke" and a Christian is unjustified. For years, Christianity has been used as a stool within the black community to get many of our people through hardships, unlawful actions, racism, systematic abuse, and oppression (still to this day.) The black community began taking the Christianity that was created to keep their ancestors in chains and turning it into strength to fight against all of their oppressors.

In America, we are taught that to be Black in America it is a crime. The segregation of Blacks in America today is more sinister than the times of the Civil Rights movement. Society uses bias and systematic oppression to continuously oppress Blacks. The society also uses the law to implement superiority

Most of modern society still struggles with the conflict between white and black culture, and during my childhood, I found myself reflecting more and more on my personal and cultural identity. Living in a household with white siblings meant that my idea of “blackness” was nonexistent. I was always an extremely happy child, but was too young to understand the concept of race. Nevertheless, I always found it strange when I caught other kids at school staring at my skin. I was used to their color, but they were not used to mine.

I went online and found research to show that black people drink more than they smoke. I also found that white people actually use more drugs than most people do. In fact, white people even drink more than black people do. They are the top race in the U.S. that drinks alcohol and are in second place when it comes to using drugs. This came as a shock to me because black people are often seen as the race that uses the most drugs and alcohol. The question I want answered is why black people are portrayed as alcoholics and drug addicts by society.

So how do you see me? How do I see myself? I don't want to be compared to the barbaric acts on television and I don't want you to compare me to that as well. How can we break this ideology that all black women are the same? Just because a woman is selling herself for her own personal and financial gains, that automatically makes me accountable? I don't think so.

“I am just one person, part of a minority, who is excelling, becoming dominant and successful in my field.”

With all odds against her, junior chemistry major, Kiera Estes, has risen above her peers and excelled academically through doing research, working in the lab, and receiving awards and scholarships for her work. She may only be 22 credits shy of graduating but she is far from concluding her scholarly domination.

As someone who has dark skin, I know firsthand how it is for someone of your own race to put you down for having the skin that you’re born with, which reflects back to the whole idea of colorism. Being told that your skin is “disgusting” or “dirty” messes with you in way where you don’t feel wanted anymore. As a child hearing those words frequently made me hate the skin that I was born with and ultimately made me take the steps towards bleaching my skin. The desire to feel as if I mattered was a mission that I sought out by engaging in research on techniques to “cleanse” and lighten myself.

As I write this I must remind myself to not be emotional. The term nigga comes from a long history, to understand it, does not exist. As we have with so much else, we’ve lost our way with this word. It has its ups and downs, and that I think is the worst part, we let it get good to us. As I try and take you on this journey of the term nigga, my goal is that you will delete it from your vocabulary.

The quote “fake it ‘til you make it,” came apart of my life. I started learning the language and how to cook the food, even planning a trip to visit the country. Not only am I learning the culture, but also I am changing the people around me.

I would like to take the time to familiarize you with one of the baddest and bougiest of all time, Queen Nzinga of the Mbundu people in the Kingdom of Ndongo. Apart of present day Angola, Ndongo was created from the Kingdom of Kongo estimated around the late 15th century.

Today the descendants of those "free slaves" still have the last name of their ancestor's owner. Today many descendants of those "free slaves" are still given poison to eat and to drink. Today the descendants of those slaves are more heavily criminalized.

The friends I have made started saying that I wasn’t like other Africans they had met before. They were saying it as if they favored me more for being more like them rather than being my African self. What I started as a simple way to better my understanding of the world and different cultures consumed me and stripped me from being that African girl I loved so much.

Unlike their Caribbean counterparts, African Americans had to learn to live parallel to their former oppressors on shared land, as opposed to gaining their independence and living amongst their own. In my opinion, this is what made African Americans so susceptible to European ruses, and as a result, moved them further away from their heritage as a people.

Oct 30, 2017

Ghana

Halleluyah! My grand mum told me you introduced them to Jesus. Well Jesus talked about doing good to people and not letting your right hand know what your left hand is doing (Mathew 6:3-4). When was the last time you helped someone in my “country” Africa without bringing along your camera crew and News channels to broadcast live and let everyone know you’re about to donate some bags of rice.Honestly, I like it when there is a situation and you try to help. I just wish there are no strings attach.

It’s high time Africa youth start making things happen–time to be instrument of positive change, time to realize this is not the best for our Continent, time to make the world move, time to do this, time to do that. –The time is NOW or never!!

Colorism could be said to be a pigmented symbol of proximity to power. The power of Europeans has been so directly and closely entrenched to the lives of the majority of the world there has become a mental connotation of skin tone.

I remember what meat I always was, because they always saw it, which means that they will not unsee. My flesh will always be a problem. This Black, this fetish. It has given me so much trouble that I even wished I was never Black again! This flesh is such a serious problem that even the fruit, the children I bring into the world -they take them from me.

I want to be able to straighten my hair without being sure that it is a mark of resistance or wear makeup without having to mix two different tones because everything is too light or too dark. I want to be able to talk to white people without having to deconstruct racism or having to prove to everyone that my blackness is not only the color of my skin but in my soul and the intensity of my struggle.

Sep 25, 2017

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*All views expressed in written and digital content do not reflect views of True Culture University*